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Union Minister Of Health Highlights The Benefits Of Yoga

by Dr. Meenakshy Varier on Sep 8 2016 1:22 PM

Union Minister Of Health Highlights The Benefits Of Yoga
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare of India Jagat Prakash Nadda will lead a yoga session at the ongoing World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia regional meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is hosting the 69th session of the WHO Regional Committee of South-East Asia Region in Colombo from 5th-9th September with the participation of health ministers and representatives from 11 nations in South East Asia.

Carrying forward the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister Nadda will join health ministers of several nations and hundreds other participants in the Yoga session, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement.

The Minister said the ancient Indian practice can contribute to building resilience against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which account for 60% of mortalities. Problems of modern lifestyles are well known. Decline in communicable diseases has been accompanied by a gradual rise in the prevalence of chronic NCDs. Nadda said knowledge of yoga, can be effectively used for preventing and controlling many lifestyle diseases.

“Major NCDs like cancer, diabetes, CVD and stroke are to a great extent due to unhealthy lifestyle,” he said while expressing concern over rising prevalence of NCDs.

On 11 December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution piloted by India declaring June 21 each year as the International Day of Yoga to provide a holistic approach to health and well-being of people. The resolution was supported by more than 177 countries, with Sri Lanka being one of the first co-sponsors of the Resolution.

Mr. Nadda said yoga has the ability to bring together the body, soul and mind for a holistic approach to health and well-being, including physical, mental and spiritual realms of the human being.

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“Yoga is not just a set of exercises. Yoga is a philosophy of discipline and meditation that transforms the spirit and makes the individual a better person in thought, action, knowledge and devotion,” he said.

The first International Day of Yoga was celebrated with great fanfare in Colombo on 21 June 2015 at the iconic Galle Face Green, with the participation of more than a thousand yoga enthusiasts.

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Noting that yoga is a collective gift to humanity, Mr. Nadda said that although it may have originated in India, it draws its energies from the millions who practise it around the world.

Source-Medindia


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